Joining our oldest at the end of his HS study abroad in Germany & visiting our family in Heidelberg. We arrive in the heat dome. I sorted our lodging choices by the presence of Air Conditioning many months ago, eliminating 90% of our options. Hard to retrofit dense older housing.

Time for more hooks including integrating climate solutions into other hot topics. Extreme weather remains a big focus, because it’s timely. climatenewstracker.org/nearly-nine-...

Federal courts overturned Berkeley's first-in-the-nation ban on fossil gas appliances in new buildings, but #SanFrancisco has adopted a workaround that's persuaded virtually all new construction to go all electric: of 387 building permits submitted, just 8 have received exemptions. 🎁link:

And we’re off to a full time summer farm season. One student, Ruby, who is supporting our state funded mulching productivity experiment, has already dubbed it, “My Summer of Peppers”. Ruby will be supporting daily battles with weeds, ground squirrels, and also tracking data on time spent on plots.

The strong collective response of the science community to the proposed OMB rule has demonstrated the broad unity that’s possible when we all work together. We'd do well to apply this same level of activation to the larger assaults on science and democracy. My new post: blog.ucs.org/gretchen-gol...

Reading Null & others(2026), “Enhanced Climate Resilience Through Dam and Barrier Removal” exploring 1) does dam removal contribute to climate resilience? 2) what are the metrics to measure climate resilience? It’s informative to our local riverfront. wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Spent some time today thinking about a class I’m planning, methods in climate action. It will be informed by organizational and local/municipal strategies for climate action & how experts including frontline NGO leaders do their work.

Good news for Faribault! It gives time for the community and our state to catch up on needed policy and environmental review. www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0... Sharing also a podcast students created w local station interviewing activists asking for oversight. open.spotify.com/episode/0YEa...

Stay cool @carleton.edu! Our new sensors are in House Field and in the shade near the Carleton Farm. For folks teaching about heat exposure, wearing sensors is also a great way to illuminate why it matters how we work outside and consider safety.

Even during finals week students are stopping by to advance sustainability work. I met with birders who want to scale up their window decals who shared research from their pilot. They have both a plan for regular upkeep/adding more sites and an ask for 1 building with a more artistic approach.

Fun day at the @carleton.edu farm. Installing irrigation and sampling the very sandy soils for their compaction and aggregate structure before our mulching experiment to support Minnesota vegetable growers. Thanks to our state department of agriculture!

I teach about this in my upper div oceanography class every year. My students design observing systems around the world based upon this as a model. I guess I’ll just teach about other countries’ systems now that the US is intentionally taking a back seat on scientific innovation and discovery. 😭

The climate science chapter of the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence is the reason some in the GOP are trying to disband the National Academies. Teach consensus science as a tool for a democratic society—- information that helps us improve decisions. www.nationalacademies.org/read/26919/c...

I’m a climate scientist. Let me fix this headline. “Nearly a century ago, scientists showed that burning fossil fuels warms the planet. Today, we know human emissions account for over 100% of the warming. Yet dark money and disinformation still work to keep Americans addicted to fossil fuels.”

Reading the 300 page environmental report for this data center in our watershed. It’s 500,000 square feet, or eight football fields & if it runs on diesel will emit more than 0.5 million tons/year or the total of 65,000 homes/year. www.southernminn.com/faribault_da...

A time capsule. I still think about our conversations here and how to advise a national way forward. In the meantime grounding in education, local work resonates. www.nationalacademies.org/projects/DEL...

These are great! Shout out to custodial supervisor, Rob Nechanicky, @carleton.edu for expanding composting systems in dorms and engaging students. Wei-Hsin Fu, Carleton’s GIS specialist is also working with students to expand auditing to inform education. www.pca.state.mn.us/news-and-sto...

This intersection has been on my mind, housing quality, aging, and climate resilience. We need to plan for affordable and sustainable housing and understand needs associated with aging. Old commentary… www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/homes-a...

A beautiful day for professional development at the farm exploring how to make connections to sustainable agriculture, labor, business, archeology, and more.

Cities are leading the way! Go Portland! www.npr.org/2026/05/20/n...

I felt this way when I picked up a book out of a book box this week-the first case study of successful business models was Elon Musk. Yuck.Even if most get with the AI program because it is infused, the oligarchs are getting grabbier. Countering overlords might save democracy, sustainable futures.

A couple of things that resonate, first, intro classes with writing and learning communities are opportunities to support wellbeing even more. Second, I am not surprised to see jobs rank so high, we have about 20 sustainability & farm student workers-they all hang out. www.aacu.org/research/wha...

Visiting outdoor learning spots @carleton.edu to plan community discussions on targeted improvements at the farm and other potentials. Part of our committees hope is also to learn more about what this looks like in different classes. We have a good understanding of the Arb, but less in other spaces.

We’re up against so much, so in your face, but my goodness the world needs us to push for green jobs instead. hechingerreport.org/texas-high-s...

Two things can be true: • RCP8.5 was never a realistic "business as usual" scenario • The world has made real progress bending the emissions curve down Glen Peters, Piers Forster, and I explain in a new article: www.theclimatebrink.... 1/11

If you are in or near Northfield, today’s the day: Beaver Fest is from 1-3 on @carleton.edu campus near the islands of Lyman Lakes. Looking forward to seeing the @bellmuseum.bsky.social @mndnrewr.bsky.social @emilyfairfax.bsky.social, MN Trappers, Arb, and Sustainability Offices and you!!!!

The solutions to climate change already exist & need political will & mobility to thrive. This is true with or without AI. blog.ucs.org/samuel-dotso...

Geoexchange projects have high potential in our state. @carleton.edu renewables including geothermal have reduced emissions by 70%. Darcy systems expand possibilities. Thanks Yvette Higgins for a shout out to Carleton, Mac, & Minnesota’s renewable future. www.startribune.com/minnesota-co...

Beyond GDP other indicators like biodiversity, emissions, wealth inequality matter for defining sustainability and equity. Worth a read and indicators helpful at many scales. unctad.org/publication/...

A bunch of extremely beautiful pictures of wind farms in China - all photographs by Weimin Chu e360.yale.edu/digest/china...

8 days until the magic of Beaverfest

“Last year, more…[US] rivers were reconnected thanks to dam removals than at any other time in history… resulting free-flowing waterways are healthier, cooler and less prone to algal blooms, & serve as vital habitat for migratory fish & other aquatic life. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/c...

Well said! A free flowing river is more climate resilient, less risky to life, better for ecosystems, and supports recreation. I definitely am amongst those keen to kayak & see an improved river corridor. www.southernminn.com/northfield_n...

End of the Lake Minnetonka Klondike Dog Derby. Climate Change. “The race requires two weather conditions that have become increasingly unreliable: solid lake ice and adequate snow cover…achieving both has been, at best, a fifty‑fifty chance.” www.klondikedogderby.com/2026-officia...

It makes me happy to see decarbonization happening, whether on our campus or in our state. The Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority is doing great work at the nexus of sustainability and equity. Making energy costs lower makes life better for folks. mncifa.mn.gov/projects

Spending some time with the literature & local climate solutions experts to inform education. What are your go to studies on the skills & habits of making climate action & climate justice happen?

“In Minnesota, wind and solar accounted for 98 percent of all new electric generation capacity added in the past five years. The state added 264 megawatts of new solar capacity in 2025, nearly ten times the amount of natural gas added to the state’s energy mix.” www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...

According to the Minnesota DNR, it’s the first time in more than a century there’s been documentation of a reproducing cougar population in the state.

Students leading a renewable energy tour @carleton.edu with Energy Manager Rob! A great way to celebrate Carleton’s accomplishments decarbonizing during Climate Action Week! Students putting on fantastic programs for other students & the community!

I think it’s good politics to speak loudly and clearly about the climate crisis. Time to end the climate hushing billmckibben.substack.com/p/lets-talk-...

Joyful Carleton! Happy Earth Day, zipping between a few events this week, but they really happen all the time.

@carleton.edu faculty-student flash talks: ENTS comps on city heat solutions. Geology-arts solutions for leftover glaze and new flux materials tested using X-ray diffraction to identify more local material, Indigenous sustainability and sovereignty projects, & sustainable development in Paris.

Agree! Just spoke with our Rotary which seems to be a home for many people & orgs coming together to support action. Our rotary has an active climate action team that supported use of the IRA, weatherization, supporting a cohort of international hs students into projects, & support for immigrants.

1/ There's a system of ocean currents in the Atlantic that shapes Europe's #climate, drives monsoons, and keeps sea levels stable along the US coast. In the last 5 years, the scientific evidence that it could collapse has shifted dramatically. Most people have no idea. 🧵

Including politics in climate scenarios makes sense & is also a toughie… having a good think. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

State of Minnesota funded experimental plots testing mulching strategies for vegetable growers @carleton.edu What a beautiful day for a walk by & connecting campus to community is something to celebrate!

World Economic Forum Risks Outlook mirrors all things on radar now. Also not surprised that short term top risks related to the environment moved down because conflict & misinformation threats to communication & democracy are urgent & environment is always a long term challenge…

BREAKING GOOD NEWS: There is a house at @carleton.edu where you can bake cookies at basically any time. I spent 12 straight hours in the kitchen and came back for breakfast the next morning: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/d...